U.S. judge gives life term to Canadian ISIS propagandist

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FALLS CHURCH, Va. — A Canadian citizen who led propaganda efforts for the Islamic State group and personally executed two Syrian troopers in extensively circulated movies was sentenced to life in jail Friday by a U.S. choose.

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Prosecutors sought the life sentence for Mohammed Khalifa, 39, a Saudi-born Canadian who held outstanding roles for the Islamic State group from 2013 till his seize in 2019.

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors stated Khalifa performed a key function within the group’s profitable efforts to recruit tens of 1000’s of overseas fighters to defend its self-proclaimed caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

In two infamous propaganda movies titled “Flames of Battle,” Khalifa may be seen capturing Syrian troopers behind the top after they dug their very own graves. He additionally narrated the movies.

Khalifa’s protection attorneys had sought a time period of simply 20 years at Friday’s sentencing listening to in Alexandria, Virginia. They argued that he was much less culpable than two British-born Islamic State members — Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, nicknamed the “Beatles” by their captives — who personally beat and tortured Western hostages. Each Kotey and Elsheikh have been convicted in Alexandria — one has obtained a life sentence and the opposite is predicted to get life when he’s formally sentenced subsequent month.

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In addition they argued that it’s unsuitable for the U.S. to impose such a extreme sentence towards a Canadian who was not convicted of straight killing or harming any People and will have simply as simply been extradited to Canada.

Khalifa pleaded responsible final 12 months to terrorism prices. In a letter to U.S. District Decide T.S. Ellis written forward of Friday’s sentencing listening to in Alexandria, Virginia, Khalifa stated he felt compelled to assist the Syrian individuals of their revolt towards dictator Bashar al-Assad, however that he made a mistake by opting to develop into a fighter versus becoming a member of an assist group.

“As I adopted the occasions in Syria, I grew to become disgusted with myself for sitting by and never doing one thing,” he wrote.

Based on an FBI affidavit, Khalifa advised FBI brokers he anticipated to be despatched to an IS coaching camp when he joined the group in late 2013. As a substitute, he was recruited to affix the group’s media division due to his English language expertise and spent practically 5 years as a pacesetter of their propaganda unit.

Khalifa advised brokers he was captured in January 2019 when he defied an IS order to flee from advancing forces. As a substitute, he stated, he launched a solo assault of kinds on Syrian Protection Forces, surrendering after his AK-47 rifle jammed.